English

  Prior to the rally, a militant demonstration was organized in front of Yasukuni Shrine (for the worship of war dead in Japan's imperialist wars) to accuse the ministers of the Fukuda cabinet who visited the shrine. Korean labor activists joined the protest action arm in arm with Japanese workers and students.
 The rally was opened by the address of a young social welfare worker who articulated the purpose of the rally in the following words: "Now the whole world has become 'Crab-Canning Ship'. We all live in a 'Crab-Canning Ship'. But we can change the whole world when we are united."
  Mr. HAYAMA Takeo, lawyer and representative of the sponsoring committee, suggested that the way to abolish 'Crab-Canning Ship' today lies in the united power of workers to crush the neo-liberalist Fukuda administration.
  ODA Yosuke, president of ZENGAKUREN (All Japan Federation of Student Autonomous Bodies), reported on the demonstration in the morning against Yasukuni Shrine and confirmed that they succeeded in promoting international solidarity with Korean workers through their (ZENGAKUREN's) denunciation against Japanese government's chauvinist propaganda on territorial issue between Korea (so-called 'Tokdo' island issue).
  A special speech on 'Crab-Canning Ship' was made by Professor OGINO Fujio, who recently organized an essay contest campaign on that novel. The title of the speech was "What 'Crab-Canning Ship' urges us: Keep indignation deep in your heart" He stressed that the intention of the author was not simply to describe inhuman treatment of workers on the boat but to expose the whole social structure of abuse and exploitation of working class. The speech was concluded by the citation from the letters of KOBAYASHI from the jail: "Hate the exploiters! Hold tight the hands of your comrades" "I call on my successors. Take fire from my hand!"
  Deeply impressed by the speech and the spirit of the novel,  'Crab-Canning Ship', many speakers passionately expressed their anger and resolution. A temporary worker talked about the actual situation of his workplace where he is not treated as human being and told that he was persuaded of the vital importance of unity by the militant demonstration on June 29 in Shibuya, Tokyo against G8 Summit. A young workers of a private enterprise stated that young workers are looking for a fighting labor union like Doro-Chiba who has been keeping a struggle against the privatization for years.
 Two major speeches from labor unions were delivered by Brother Lee Jeyong, president of the KCTU (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions) Seoul Regional Council and TANAKA Yasuhiro, president of Doro-Chiba.
  Brother Lee Jeyong pointed out the following issues: 1) In Korea, a large-scale 'candle demonstrations' has been developing since April against Lee Myung-bak administration. 2) Now less than 10% of Korean people support the government that allows the import of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) beef from US, carries on privatization of public services and education and brutally suppresses protest actions of working people and wider layers of population (including Christian and Buddhist clergy people). 3) Now the police keep major labor union leaders in jail, including 3 of KCTU and 3 of Metal Union, for their leadership in organizing the recent general strike. The current situation seems to be back in the days of the military dictatorship before 1987. 4) Korean workers are now suffering under the enforcement of the neo-liberal policy and a large amount of irregular workers are almost starving. 5) KCTU is convinced that Korean and Japanese working class can crush the neo-liberal offensive when unity is established to become one movement and one organization instead of fighting separately and that it would be realized through exchanging experiences not only in practice but also in theory or ideology.
  Brother Lee Jeyong called on all the participants of the rally to join in chanting the following slogans with raised fists: "Crush the neo-liberal offensive with Doro-Chiba at the forefront of the struggle!" "Workers, unite!  Let's achieve liberation of working class!" "Let's fight out till we overthrow imperialism!"
  In response to this fiery agitation, President TANAKA of Doro-Chiba pledged to forge the whole movement into one united organization powerful enough to change the society, realizing that the anger of working people is mounting everywhere and a fresh struggle is deadly needed. He urged all the participants to make every effort to mobilize and organize ten thousand workers and students to the November Workers' Rally in Tokyo. 
  Ms.YONEYAMA Yoshie, Tokyo education worker who was discharged because of her struggle against Hinomaru and Kimigayo, reported that she has succeeded in forming a community organization to support her struggle against unjust punishment on her.
  Mr.SATO Kazutoshi, lawyer and head of the secretariat of  "Campaign: We don't need the 'Jury System'", spoke against the planned introduction of the 'Jury System' that aims at organizing working people to the side of the ruling class to judge other people and to bring in division among them. He called for a general strike to stop the plan.
  Mr. TOMITA Ken, fighting against planned construction of US Marine base in Henoko, Okinawa, expressed his determination to put all his power to establish unity with all the comrades here in this rally and to struggle for ten thousands' mobilization to November Rally.
  The rally went to end by a wrap-up speech of Mr. SUZUKI Tatsuo, lawyer, who urged to strengthen the power of the movement to crush Fukuda administration that is barely allowed to survive by the lack of power on the side of the opposition forces. He finally called out: "Let's turn to offensive to prevent constitutional revision! Forward for the successful November Rally to kick out Fukuda administration!"

 Her speech was immediately followed by two education workers: Ms.KAWARAI Junko, who was punished for her disobedience in Hinomaru and Kimigayo school ceremony, reported on her struggle, referring to the success of her co-fighter, NEZU Kimiko, in preventing the attempt of discharge, and stated the importance of international solidarity. Another dissident education worker, Ms.YONEYAMA Yoshie, also spoke of her activities and her vision for further struggle against Hinomaru and Kimigayo.
  Mr. FUJITA Sukeyuki, former professor of Keio University, an expert of nuclear damage investigation, delivered a speech titled "Stationing of antiballistic missile and Japan's nuclear armament" and denounced government's attempt of missile development. He refused to be a simple live witness of nuclear disaster and claim to be a fighter against nuke and war, articulating his statement, "No more prayer for peace, but let's be angry Nagasaki"
 Reports of workers representing various workplaces followed: Mr.HABIRO Ken, one of the defendants of national railway struggle trial (a case of political repression on the occasion of Japan National Railway Union), declared his determination to continue fighting against every tempt of compromise with the slogans, "Withdraw unjust dismissals, no to privatization" "Crush neo-liberal offensive"; an education worker proudly reported his struggle to refuse to stand up for Kimigayo in front of Hinomaru, and a public service worker described how he fought back administrative attempt of introducing job-evaluation system in his workplace.
The rally made clear that young workers are now appearing on the stage of class struggle as main character to change the existing situation of anti-war/anti-nuke movement under the influence of corrupt labor movement leadership. Their keywords are: "Only revolution can abolish war and nuke once for all. We rise up for it" "It is us, young workers, that change the whole world". 
Mr. TAKIGUCHI Makoto, executive committee member of Doro-Chiba, made a closing address with a call for general mobilization for November Workers' Rally. 

 Mr.KITANISHI Makoto, professor emeritus of Hiroshima University opened the rally with a militant address against G.W.Bush and FUKUDA Yasuo, followed by the recitation of a poem, titled “Anger of the atomic bomb victims ” of KURIHARA Sadako, one of the survivors of the disaster 63 years ago.
 Two atomic bomb survivors, Ms. SHIMODA Reiko, chairperson of the Atomic Bomb Victims Against War, and Mr.NAKAJIMA Ken, president of the Youth League of Atomic Bomb Victims, denounced war-driving imperialists both of Japan and US and expressed their determination to defeat them.
 The keynote speech was made by Ms. TANIGUCHI Kyoko for the secretariat of the organizing committee, who emphasized on the decisive role of workers’ struggle in workplace in stopping war and creating a new society.
 International solidarity was conveyed by two persons. Doctor Husaam, who once studied in Hiroshima University and now is combating infantile cancer caused by depleted uranium in Iraq, sent us an encouraging message.
The speech of Ms.Arlene Inouye of CAMS drew enthusiastic applause from all the participants. She passionately stressed that their struggle in US to drive out military recruiters form school and Japanese education workers’ struggle with a pledge, “Never send our students to the battlefield again”, are one and same. “Let’s strengthen international solidarity. We are always with you” was her closing words.
Mr. TANAKA Yasuhiro, president of Doro-Chiba called on all the fighting workers to join the November Workers’ Rally and to rise up for a general strike to gain wage raise. He declared that it is a great moment now to demonstrate united power of workers can overthrow ruling class in the aggravating crisis of capitalism. 
  Three education workers fighting against Hinomaru and Kimigayo, namely Ms. NEZU Kimiko, Ms. KAWARAI Junko from Tokyo and another teacher of Hiroshima, expressed their determination to keep their struggle in unity in defiance of disciplinary measure and to transform Japan Teachers Union into a militant union of education workers.
 Other speakers were: Mr.TOMITA Shin of Okinawa who called for revolution, a public sector workers, a postal worker, a hospital worker and a university student who was arrested two times this year (on May 29 in Hosei University and on June 29 in Shibuya demonstration against G8 summit).
 “Appeal of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action”(see below) was adopted by all the participants at the end of the rally.
 Closing address was made by Ms.KURIHARA Kimiko, ex- member of the House of Councilors, who spoke for workers power.
 After shouting militant slogans in chorus by the lead of Mr. HIRAOKA Makoto of the organizing committee, the participants poured onto the street of downtown Hiroshima to wage a powerful anti-war, anti-nuke demonstration. Police set up a two-rank cordon of troops in riot gear but failed to suppress militant demonstrators who were welcome and joined by by-passers on the sidewalks.   

 Appeal of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action

Today’s speeches and reports of our fighting friends and comrades on their struggle in workplace have firmly convinced all of us that we can abolish war and nuke once for all when our unity becomes greater and stronger. 
The conclusion of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action on its 10th anniversary is: It is capitalists who need war and nuke. Unity of workers and people can do away with war and nuke. The unity achieved through the struggle to abolish war and nuke enables us to overthrow the existing system of the society full of problems and contradictions from the bottom. We have a power to carry out this task. United, not alone, we gain mighty strength. For this aim every one of us has a vital role to play.
Here in this great rally, under the slogan of “Abolish war and nuke by the united power of people”, we are united, victims of atomic bombings and sister Arlene Inoue from US, a country that dropped atomic bombs. This is an ultimate achievement of unity. 
We are united here overcoming long-time division produced by alleged conflict of national interest, discrimination and chauvinistic nationalism. We need to expand this unity further around us. Workers all around the world now share a common anger against capitalists who treat workers as their slaves through pitting them each other, bringing in disruption among them, punishing and arresting them, and finally even killing them. We’ve got conviction that united in anger; we can abolish war and nuke. A great victory was won by today’s rally!
Capitalists have brought about a world financial crisis as a result of the collapse of sub-prime loan. They are strengthening neo-liberal offensive in an attempt to transfer disaster to working class. Capitalism has reached an extreme situation, in which working people can no longer live. We are suffering soaring prices of fuels and foods, unstable job such as temporary and irregular employment and so on.
Let’s raise the voice of anger! Let’s start fighting back! The time is ripe for rising. It’s quite natural to get furious at the present situation. The incident in Akihabara exposed us that a young worker, deprived of unity with his colleagues, was obliged to explode his anger in killing people on the street. If he could have found an opportunity to unite with his friends, his anger would have been directed to capital and have been developed into a power to change the world. “Crab-canning Ship”, a history on slave labor in the prewar time, is booming as best seller especially among young people. They readily and fully understood the message of KOBAYASHI Takiji, author of this book, who stressed upon the importance and greatness of unity and comrades at the risk of his life (he was tortured and murdered in 1933 by security police for his activities as proletarian writer). Underlying cause of unity is the anger against capital and state, in a word, “We must live”.
Workers and students rallying in this great action in Hiroshima today have an enormous power of unity and are competent enough to abolish war and nuke. Let’s send out a message of unity and solidarity to the whole world by a militant demonstration now! Keep fighting in workplace, campus and community and promote unity!
August 6, 2008
Participants of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action

 

 Colleague young workers and family members of the arrested 8 people gathered to the court to decide on the extension of detention. They together with the lawyers vehemently denounced the court decision to extend the detention.
  The accusation against one of the arrested people is “violation of the public safety regulation” and other 7 people are suspected to have committed “interference with a government official in the exercise of his duties” Both charges are, however, totally ungrounded. In the court debate, one of the lawyers sharply criticized the court, saying, “Which is violent, the arrested people or the police” “You are arguing on a totally false recognition of the actual facts” “I must point out the court is rotten”. He took off his coat to show how he himself was injured by the police brutality in the demonstration on June 29.
  Another outrageous procedure was carried out by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office: it indicted Mr.SAKANO Yohei, who joined the demonstration in Hosei University on May 29 to protest against the university repression, under the charge of “trespassing the university building”. He was arrested on June 18 during his activity in organizing students for the June 29 demonstration after the arrest of 38 students on May 28 and 29. The total number of indicted students for their engagement in Hosei struggle amounts to 16.
 On July 24 in Nakano Zero Hall(18:30～), a national protest rally is planned to “Crush repression on Hosei students” under the auspice of 3 organizations to fight together with Hosei students. Join in the rally and fight back the repression in unity with the comrades in prison! 
 

　"Come on police! You banned demonstration. It's OK!" The participants of the rally, shouting loud, broke through the barrier of riot police and rushed into the street of Shibuya. The demonstrators in a tight scrum directed toward the Shibuya station. Riot police and security police were put in defensive. Arrests of 8 people, including workers and students, flared up anger of demonstrators and overwhelmed police repression with ever tightening scrum.

Extraordinary police guard for the security of G8 Summit was completely broken up. On the wrap-up  rally, young workers yelled, "We have won today's demonstration". All the participants enjoyed the successful demonstration that overpowered police repression. "Workers united will never be defeated". The June 29 rally and demonstration proved it nationwide and worldwide.   

Heavy rain could not prevent workers and students from gathering to the rally in front of the outdoor stage of Yoyogi park in a large mass. The keynote speech was delivered by Tanaka Yasuhiro, President of Doro-Chiba, who furiously denounced the extraordinary police guard to defend G8 Summit. He called on the rally participants, articulating, "Anger of working class is on the brink of explosion. Our task is to organize angry workers into unity. Let's go ahead in the forefront of the stormy age. It's the mission of militant labor unions."   

High-spirited speeches were made one after another: the students of Zengakuren (All Japan Federation of Student Autonomous Bodies) who had been arrested in the struggle of Hosei university, a Hosei university student who carried out hunger strike in protest of police repression, and a young workers who is resisting the planned construction of a US military base in Henoko in Okinawa. They all called on the participants to wage a militant demonstration, defying police repression and not fearful of being arrested. Workers of Japan Railway, education, postal service, municipalities, hospitals and other industrial branches talked about their fresh experiences of uncompromising struggle in the work place and spoke out their anger against the G8 Summit.

Let’s change the world by power of labor movement!

Let’s make a revolt at our workshops! Let’s make a massive demonstration on the street! Smash G8-Summit by strikes and demonstrations! Arrogant capitalists and their politicians can do nothing in face of revolts at workshops.
Doro Chiba (National Railway Motive Power Union of Chiba) waged a spring offensive strike this year and made an appeal of unity and solidarity across industries and workplaces. Let’s create a fighting labor movement that can defeat capitalists and the state power! Let’s get back true labor union to us, overthrowing misleaders of existing labor unions; they yield to capitalists and the state power saying, “Struggles can provide workers with nothing”.

Let’s make a powerful demonstration on June 29 in Shibuya!

Metropolitan Police Department arrested 38 students at Hosei University on May 28-29: Hosei 38 were demonstrating on campus and making an appeal for a student strike of “Smash G8!”. G8-Summit intends to break down fighting unity between workers and students.
The state power is awfully scared of strikes and demonstrations. G8-leaders must know that they can’t hold a conference calmly. Let’s make a huge march of 10,000 people!
Let’s demonstrate together and create unity! Let’s express our anger! Let’s transform Shibuya into a town of angry workers, students, the elderly and farmers!

June 29, 13:00    Zone B, Yoyogi Park  http://www.jpnodong.org/index.html
Contact : Doro-Chiba TEL.043-222-7207　FAX.043-224-7197  E-mail : doro-chiba@doro-chiba.org